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UGA notebook: Richt wants defensive players to get more physical

UGA NOTEBOOK

ATHENS - Georgia's football team and its fans were still searching for answers Monday for all those missed tackles against South Carolina two days earlier.

Some of the defensive breakdowns by players could be pinned on "not going all the way out every play," said outside linebacker Darryl Gamble, who had eight tackles. "I'd say it was maybe a little effort and a little shell-shocked at being there. The first SEC game - a lot of guys weren't ready for it."

Freshman running back Marcus Lattimore piled up 187 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries in the 17-6 South Carolina win.

A caller on coach Mark Richt's call-in show Monday night asked Richt about players being "timid" and "afraid to hit."

"There were a couple of times where you're right, I think timid is a very kind description of what happened," Richt said. "There were a couple of times when we turned it down, quite frankly."

Gamble said defensive coordinator Todd Grantham told "all the younger guys in the two-deep that there's still spots open (to replace) guys who are messing up."

Richt said there indeed will be competition for positions this week and there will likely be more physical practices with the scout team.

"Just to work hard on the fundamentals of stepping on a guy's toes and putting your face on him and wrapping up," Richt said. "There's going to be no diving on the ground at a guy, no going low on a guy. When I mean low, I'm talking about just diving at the knees and ankles and that kind of thing."

Georgia is in its first season in its new 3-4 defense.

"It's good when everybody does it right, but when one guys messes up, it turns very bad really quickly," Gamble said.

Green would be 'bonus' this week

It's unclear when Georgia will get word from the NCAA this week on its appeal of star receiver A.J. Green's four-game suspension.

Richt said on a Monday morning radio appearance that he thought a conference call would be Wednesday, but said Monday night that "it may come down to a decision on Friday on this appeal."

Georgia associate athletic director Claude Felton said athletic officials did not know when the call would take place. Richt was not available to speak with reporters on Monday.

"As we're planning this game, we're planning it more as if he won't be there, and if he is, it's a bonus for us," Richt said on his call-in show.

Georgia is hoping the suspension is reduced to allow Green to play Saturday against Arkansas. Green was suspended for selling his Independence Bowl jersey for $1,000 to a person the NCAA defines as an agent.

Chris Hawkins, a former North Carolina defensive back, told ESPN.com he bought the jersey. He said he identified himself to Green as a financial adviser and memorabilia collector. The NCAA says Hawkins has not cooperated with their investigation.

"The NCAA contacted Chris Hawkins on several occasions to discuss the matter; however, he was not responsive or cooperative," NCAA associate director Stacey Osburn said by e-mail. "He did not return the four different phone calls attempting to gather information. He also canceled a conference call with the NCAA and a member institution, and failed to join the conference call when it was rescheduled."

The appeal will be heard by the Division I NCAA Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement, made up of representatives of schools and conferences.

"We've got to plan as if he might be there," Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. "He's as explosive a player as there is. Obviously, he had a big game against us last year."

Green had seven catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns last year in the Bulldogs' 52-41 win at Arkansas.

Mississippi State a night game

Georgia's first night game of the season will be in Starkville on Sept. 25, when the Bulldogs kick off at 7 p.m. at Mississippi State.

Fox Sports Net will televise the game. It will air in Georgia on Fox SportsSouth.

The Bulldogs' first three games are all early afternoon games, including Saturday's noon home game against Arkansas.

It will be Georgia's first appearance on FSN since 2008, when the Bulldogs played Central Michigan.

Also, the SEC announced Monday that the Arkansas game will air on ESPN.

This and that

Arkansas kickoff returner/running back Dennis Johnson won't play this week, Petrino said. Johnson underwent surgery after sustaining a "bowel injury" during Saturday's game against Louisiana-Monroe. He ranked ninth in the SEC on kickoff returns last year at 25.8 yards per return and had one touchdown.

Johnson is the team's second-leading rusher with 83 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. Freshman Maudrecus Humphrey could replace Johnson on kickoffs.

UGA captains for Saturday

Ben Jones and Josh Davis (offense) and Savannah's Demarcus Dobbs (defense) and kicker Blair Walsh (special teams). ... Petrino, the former coach of the Atlanta Falcons, said he does not know Georgia defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, who spent the past 11 years in the NFL, but studied Dallas Cowboys video this summer. Grantham coached Dallas' defensive line the past two seasons.